This invention is related to a back appliance for brushing, massaging, or heat-treating the user's back. The appliance has a handle supported under the user's arm with one hand. He manipulates the appliance with his other hand disposed in front of his body.
Many people prefer to brush their back while bathing. A typical brush has a relatively short handle that requires the user to raise his hand over his shoulder to apply an up and down motion to the brush. This type of brush configuration is typical for many appliances used for massaging or applying a cleansing or other material to the back. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,576,338 which was issued Nov. 27, 1951 to Bessie B. Gamble for "Bath Brush"; U.S. Pat. No. 3,568,237 which was issued Mar. 9, 1971 to William L. Rhodes for "Sponge Back Washer"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,611 which was issued Feb. 3, 1976 to Lorenz Locher for "Brush for the Care and Cleaning of Things and the Body" show back brushes or sponges.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,168,975 which was issued Aug. 8, 1939 to Dumont Clarke illustrates a "Massaging Device" that requires the user to raise at least one hand to the height of his shoulders.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,431,881 which was issued Oct. 10, 1922 to Helen Erickson-Smith for "Toilet Powder Applying Device or Implement" illustrates a device for applying toilet powder to a user's back.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,039,052 which was issued Apr. 28, 1936 to Robert W. Beck and Gustav A. Rogge for "Resilient Means for Bath Brushes" and U.S. Pat. No. 1,437,296 which was issued Nov. 28, 1922 to Warren C. Dyer for "Bathing Appliance" illustrate a pair of bathing appliances for treating the back while the handle is held in front of the bather's body.
However, some people are partially disabled such that it is either difficult or painful for them to raise their hands to the shoulder level. It is very painful to use a conventional brush that requires the user to manipulate the handle from the level of his shoulders. Further, such brushes generally limit the user to an "up and down" motion to clean his back. The brushes are formed such that the user cannot use both hands to apply sufficient leverage to effectively apply a sideways motion unless he can raise at least one arm.